Mr Joe Igbokwe is the Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), and also doubles as the chairman of Apapa Wharf Landing. In this interview with some journalists, he speaks on achievements of the APC –led federal government, two years in the saddle, Igbo political interest and other issues of national interest. TOPE MUSOWO reports:
Two years into the life of this administration, Nigerians are already asking questions about dividends of democracy, what can you say are some of the achievements so far recorded by APC- led administration?
We have made monumental achievements though, people want to see achievements as money or food on their table. But, we have embarked on laying a very important foundation to transform Nigeria from a corrupt nation to a progressive one.
If one does not possess the third eye, he or she may not see it. Our backwardness in this country can be traced to corruption and the president has declared a total war against thing that has affected the development of the country. This is because we have lost several years of conscious foundation being laid and that is why we have infrastructural decay. For over 16 years, we are still battling to have 10, 000 Megawatts of electricity in spite of the huge fund allocated to the sector annually. And it is pathetic that yearly, we are furnished with same story from the administrators in the sector.
Nigeria would have been the destination for all nations by now, considering the huge funds that had passed through hands over the past 16 years; yet, we can’t see anything. The present administration has decided to address the issue especially corruption and make the country great again.
For instance, the president went into the judicial system and exposed the corruption within the sector. And this is one area that many never dared to beam their searchlight on. Also, presently, the Senate President, though he is a member of the party (APC), is standing trial at CCT for some issues alleged against him.
After he had commenced the “Operation- end Corruption,” the same act is fighting back and some people are wishing him dead. Though I know corruption will fight back, it will be quashed. I remember that before the election, I prophesied that APC will win but it will not be rosy, and that they will fight back after accumulating resources over the years. And don’t forget that it took the progressives about 30 years to come to power.
We were robbed in 1999 because Olusegun Obasanjo wasn’t the South-West candidate, it was Chief Olu Falae. It was those forces of corruption that ensured Obasanjo won the 1999 Presidential Election and one can’t go far before understanding reasons his region, ward, council and state didn’t vote for him.
It was the likes of IBB that forced OBJ on Nigerians. When OBJ was asked about the Villa, he argued that he didn’t forget anything at the seat of power. It was unknown to him that some forces wanted him in power.
Obasanjo was almost dead because his relatives had sold all his properties. And that was why if you ask Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, he will say OBJ wasted their South-West eight years. He wasn’t prepared for the post. He didn’t know what to do after assuming office. It was after two years in office that he got his bearing and started accumulating all properties sold by his people.
When he came out of incarceration, he had less than N100,000 in his account.
First, the Buhari-led administration has started diversification of the country’s sources of income.
They have blown up the gas pipelines and other facilities in the Niger-Delta region. And that was why we could not achieve stability in power supply. Also, the price of crude oil has reduced.
And that was why the present administration has decided to look towards agriculture especially through rice where huge money was spent yearly on its importation; Lagos, Kebbi and others states have taken the lead. I know that before the end of 2018, the country would have achieved so much.
How are you so sure that we will begin to see results before the end of 2018 because Nigerians are running out of patience?
First, is the president has said so, because everything falls on his table. But don’t forget that if anything happens to the president today, the government will continue. He has a competent vice president that will take over the affairs of government.
We need to build and it requires time to build a broken city. Aside time, there is need for huge funds and there is no money at the disposal of the government. So it requires the government to look inward. In order to look inward, the government set up TSA and shut 20,000 accounts. No government before Buhari had aimed at building Nigeria.
The building of Nigeria has started.
For eight years, Fashola begged the federal government to handover the airport road to him, the PDP- led government refused. I know what it took the government before it could secure the release of Ikorodu road by the federal government to allow the construction of BRT Lane. I understand the struggle because when we gave Telecom operators permission to lay fiber optic cables, we were challenged by the Federal Ministry of Works; claiming that the road belongs to the central government and the state does not have the right to give permission to anyone to lay cable.
Many Nigerians are of the opinion that APC which promised to improve the country didn’t have a blueprint of what it intends to do after getting to power?
Don’t forget that Buhari was a former minister, head of state and among other positions, and had contested for presidency thrice before winning in 2015. And if anyone says that he didn’t have any blueprint for the country, then the person doesn’t know what he or she is saying.
Their position is buttressed by the long period of time it took the president to appoint his ministers.
The time he spent before choosing his ministers doesn’t matter. After many presidents are elected, they sit down to strategise on how they intended to bring the desired growth to the country they intended to govern.
And for Buhari, when they assumed office, they went into the treasury, they couldn’t find anything. So Buhari too adopted same strategy in the appointment of his ministers. It is better to take time before embarking on anything than to rush in and fail.
It is in the opinion of many Nigerians that Buhari’s policies are anti- people, for instance banning of importation of some essential items.
I remember when India banned the importation of cloths; the citizens were asking about what they would wear. They were asked to go naked and today, the country has one of the largest textile industries. Today, Buhari’s policy has started yielding results. One of the results was LAKE rice, you can see the impact of the rice. I have directed that I don’t want to see any foreign rice in my house again.
For years, I have been hearing about Abakaliki rice and they have not moved it beyond the primitive stage. But with what Lagos and Kebbi achieved, they have started rebranding the Abakiliki rice. Dangote has shown interest. If we fail to close the doors on importation, we will not achieve anything.
I graduated from the university in 1985, finished my Youth Service in 1986. After three years of searching for job, I went to NDE which was established by former head of state, IBB. I was among the first batch of Nigerians who collected loans from the agency. I used the fund to establish a cafeteria in Western Avenue. My relatives taught I was mad because they believed I shouldn’t that after spending much years studying engineering. Immediately I started, my friend assisted me in securing a contract of supplying food to NEPA Training School, Ijora.
I got married in 1990 and bought a new car. If one has certificate and cannot device means of making money for himself, then he may die on the streets because government does not share money.
I employed people who worked for me while I read and engage in other things. Five years after, I wrote my first book. I remember that late Kudirat Abiola, late Bola Ige and many others were present at the occasion. In 2007, I wrote another book on the planned return of IBB. He taught the book was in his favour and he asked me to visit his brother in-law in Kaduna and he gave me some money.
What do you think can bring unity between the Yoruba and Igbo?
Until they end their political stupidity before the Igbo will realize the need for cooperation. The 1993 Presidential Election provided the Igbo the opportunity to cement their relationship with the South- West because we needed to bridge that understanding. The North was able to actualize the annulment because the Igbo failed to stand with the Yoruba. It was only few of us who stood with Abiola.
When we placed the issue before our people, they claimed that the Igbo had fought their own Civil War and that it was the turn of the Yoruba. I like the ruggedness of the Yoruba.
While the Yoruba were battling with their issues, the Igbo were busy clapping and that was why we cautioned that if with the sophistication of Yoruba leaders and this is happening to them, it indicates that the Igbo aren’t safe.
Kudirat Abiola was killed to provoke the Yoruba to war and the aim was to destroy Lagos. But Bola Ige said no. I remember that a minister of works then threatened to blow up Lagos. If it was the Igbo that were provoked like the Yoruba, there could have been another war. But, the Yoruba resisted the North’s provocation and resulted into pen and paper fight.
Why do you think Igbo have always been divided on issues affecting the country?
They cannot understand Nigerian politics and that is my problem with them. Nigerian politics is not business. After the demise of Yar’Adua, what I expected the Igbo to do was to ask Jonathan to finish the four years of Yar’Adua and allow the North to have their eight years. And by 2015, the president would have come to the South- East. They were cajoled with the believe that no one can defeat the incumbent.
But Igbo benefited much under Jonathan who appointed some of them into key positions in his cabinet?
The question you should ask is: What importance did those appointments add to the Eastern Region? What did Obasanjo’s eight years give to South-West? We had six ministers from the South East in Jonathan’s cabinet and did they add any value to the South- East? People must begin to understand that once they get any position, it isn’t for their friends and family rather, it is for everyone.
One man had the opportunity to build the Onitsha Airport while serving as Obasanjo’s close aide but declined and argued that he would start the job when he becomes governor of the state. But prosperity didn’t favour him because two weeks after he was sworn-in, he was sacked. It is pathetic that my people don’t know how to play politics.
When do you think it is ripe for the Igbo to rule Nigeria as you have said it can be 2019?
It is simple. The time for the South- East is 2023.
But former President Olusegun Obasanjo suggested 2019
The ex-president is about creating another crisis for the South- East. The North will spend their eight years. I want the Igbo to understand that they must support others before they can also receive support. The North hasn’t gotten their eight years. We want them to finish their two terms before we step in. If this is done, there will be no complaint from the Northerners that they have been short- changed. There is a caveat for the Igbo to get the power and that is aligning their tent with APC.
Do you see APC ruling Nigeria for 8years with the state of the country
APC will rule Nigerian for many years to come.
With the crisis in APC especially with plan by Atiku to quit the party for PDP
There must be crisis in every party. It is the ability to resolve that internal contradictions that makes the forum a political party. It is a coalition of interest; everyone is fighting for his interest and to remain relevant. It is a struggle for power. Don’t forget that APC was formally formed and many trooped into it. We accepted because we needed the number.
But a mega party is also in the offing to which Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s name is being touted
I can assure you that Asiwaju (Tinubu) can never leave APC. He will die for the party. One cannot build a house and destroy it overnight. It is our duty to make APC succeed. And for mega party, it is a figment of imagination of those thinking about the party. If we begin to leave APC, how do you want Nigerians to take us serious? Don’t forget where we were coming from- AD, AC, ACN AND APC. Asiwaju is done with forming new parties. Atiku case is a forgone issue.
He has been leaving from one party to the other.
I can assure you that Buhari will rule this country for eight years. And those complaining now will come to eat the humble pie. What President Buhari planned for Nigeria was what Singaporean ex-president, Lee Kuan Yew, did for his country. It is sad that people don’t believe in foundation and it is that foundation that determines the longevity of the structure.
Buhari has been alleged to be partial in his fight against corruption, how do you react to this?
Is Saraki not a member of APC? And don’t forget that most of the properties recovered by the anti-graft agencies were from Northerners, his people were prosecuted. We don’t have fund. We weren’t in power when Nigeria had money at its disposal.
People have continued to cite the case of Rotimi Amaechi that the minister should be prosecuted if Buhari is actually serious about making his war against corruption holistic.
The current Transport Minister was forced out of PDP. And they used the commissioner of police in the state to also fight him. He almost died.
